Response to Intervention (RtI) is an early detection, prevention, and support system that attempts to identify and assist struggling students with appropriate levels of intervention. It is a framework for making instructional decisions based on data, and consists of four components:

Universal screening using an assessment tool

Identification and placement of students into three tiers of instruction based on their respective needs for intervention

Interventional instruction as appropriate for each student’s tier

Continual monitoring to check progress and ensure compliance

Additionally, the development and fluency of basic math skills are crucial components of RtI, especially for Tier 3 students who may lack a critical foundation of mastered math facts.

Students are categorized into three tiers within the RtI framework. According to researchers, the three tiers are as follows:

ALEKS has the ability to address all of the RtI requirements through screening and progress monitoring assessments, individualized instruction, basic skills practice with ALEKS QuickTables, and dynamic reporting to provide essential input to human interventionists.Read More About ALEKS for RtI

Students can begin an ALEKS RtI Tier 1 course product, an RtI Tier 2 course product, or MS RtI Tier 3 if they have already been placed into an RtI tier.

If students have not yet been placed into an appropriate tier, schools and districts can screen students at the beginning of the year using the MS RtI Screening Assessment. Based on their assessment results, students can then be placed into an appropriate ALEKS course.

These course recommendations are based on student performance when the ALEKS MS RtI Screening Assessment is taken within approximately the first 8 weeks of the school year.

The placement thresholds suggested by ALEKS are rough recommendations only. Since every school and school district is different, customers will wish to adjust these thresholds to meet their needs based on their students and their experience with RtI. ALEKS recommends periodic review and reevaluation of results.

Tier 1 – Tier 1 students will be placed into their respective ALEKS grade level courses. For example, a Tier 1 student in Grade 6 will be placed into Mathematics - MS/LV 6. This student will learn in the ALEKS course and use QuickTables minimally. QuickTables can be assigned to the program as needed to establish and/or refresh the student’s fluency with basic math facts.

Tier 2 – Tier 2 students will be placed into their respective RtI courses. For example, a Tier 2 student in Grade 6 will be placed into RtI 6. Tier 2 students will also use QuickTables on a consistent basis to consolidate their fluency with basic math facts. Once mastery has been established, QuickTables will be used only as needed. It is recommended that a teacher or other adult supervise students in Tier 2 intervention in a lab or classroom setting.

Tier 2 students will be most likely to move up into Tier 1 if they use ALEKS as an interventional instruction method for a minimum of 5 hours per week; daily use is recommended. For example, Tier 2 Grade 6 students will advance from RtI 6 to Mathematics - MS/LV 6, thereby catching up to their classmates in Tier 1.

Tier 3 – Tier 3 students, regardless of their grade level, will be placed into MS RtI Tier 3, and also require human intervention and persistent, individual attention. QuickTables will serve a critical role in their intervention by developing and consolidating their fluency with basic math facts. QuickTables provides individualized attention while reducing necessary human intervention because it requires minimal supervision by an adult professional or parent. Additionally, ALEKS can guide teachers, aides, and parents in targeting their interventional instruction through dynamic, automated reports and individualized learning.

Tier 3 students in MS RtI Tier 3 can progress into Tier 2 and their respective grade level RtI courses. For example, Tier 3 Grade 6 students will advance from MS RtI Tier 3 to RtI 6, thereby catching up to their classmates in Tier 2.